In His Final Moments
by MoonlightSpirit
Summary: With no cure for a werewolf bite, Damon's final moments draw near. Tonight he tries to right what he has wronged. Especially with Elena. In his final moments he confesses things he never thought he'd say and he and Elena share a special moment.
1. His Final Moments

**So I decided to do a tragic little fanfic…let's hope this does not really happen to Damon…**

**I chose the song _Breaking the Habit _by Linkin Park because I felt it described Damon well, especially if he was on his deathbed. He's thinking back and regretting all the bad he's done, but is determined to set it right tonight.**

**Here's _In His Final Moments_. Enjoy...well, as much as you can...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or the song _Breaking the Habit_.**

Fate had a cruel way of working.

It had been on their side, allowing them to kill Klaus. But, reasonably, not without loss. It would have been a miracle for all of them to get out alive.

Jenna had died during the sacrifice, Klaus had killed her first. The funeral was small. Just Elena, Jeremy, Alaric, Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie. Even John showed up.

At the time, none of them wondered where Damon was. He wasn't too odd he'd be missing it, although they did think he'd come to at least support Elena.

It had been Katherine who broke the news. After the funeral, everyone but John went to the boarding house, shocked to find Katherine waiting for them in the living room.

"I know he won't tell you this, so I took it upon myself," she said, "He's been bitten by a werewolf." She didn't stay though. In true Katherine fashion, she fled to God knows where. However - surprising everyone - Elijah had left with her.

The first two days had been difficult. Between delusions and fits of uncontrollable rage, it took Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie's abilities combined to restrain him. Elena's presence seemed to help though, even though he often mistook her for Katherine.

Tyler had come over during one of Damon's calmer moments, apologizing profusely for biting him.

"I'm so sorry man," he had said to Damon, who was lying on the couch, "I had no control…"

"It's okay," Damon had said with a smirk.

Now, 48 hours later, it was obvious what was happening. Damon was down to his last few moments. He laid in his bed, Stefan, Elena, Alaric, Bonnie and Caroline sitting around him.

He looked deathly pale, dark circles around his eyes. Elena sat near his head, holding his hand tight in hers, silent teats streaming down her face. Stefan stood next to her, a hand on her shoulder. Alaric sat on the other side of the bed while Jeremy, Caroline and Bonnie stood at the foot of his bed.

"Why are you guys so damn somber?" Damon sighed, a ghost of his usual smirk gracing his face.

"How can he still joke at a time like this," Caroline whispered.

"Because someone has to lighten the mood Barbie," Damon said, "You know, I'm dying, not deaf." He took in a sharp breath, pain shooting through his body like a forest fire. He felt Elena's grip on his hand tighten. It was her hand in his that seemed to keep him anchored to this world. More than once tonight, his eyes drifted to her face and he could have sworn it was Katherine.

But the grip on his hand…it was too soft, too gentle to be Katherine's.

It wasn't just the bite causing Damon pain, but all the horrid memories that it brought up. The night of Katherine's "death" in 1864, Stefan forcing him to feed, the day he realized Katherine had never loved him, the night that Katherine and Elena had both said to him that "It would always be Stefan." Snapping Jeremy's neck and the look of complete horror on Elena's face, force feeding Elena his blood the night of the sacrifice.

And too many more to count.

_Memories consume like opening the wound_

_I'm picking me apart again_

"We know you're scared Damon," Stefan said softly.

"Not scared," Damon said, shaking his head weakly, "Pissed as hell? Yes. Scared? No. I've been ready to die for much to long." His eyes flicked over to Elena. Those eyes, still an unnaturally bright blue.

_You all assume, I'm searching in my room_

_Unless they try to start again_

Damon stared at the young woman who had been the source of most of his conflict. Elena made him feel…human. But he wasn't human. And she deserved someone better than him.

But she was always there, a constant temptation.

_I don't want to be the one the battles always choose_

'_Cause inside I realize that I'm the one confused_

And she was the source of so much of his confusion. The feelings Damon felt for Katherine paled in comparison to what he felt for Elena.

And it was those feelings that bombarded him when he returned to Mystic Falls and saw Elena for the first time. From then on, he would be at a constant war with himself.

_I don't know what's worth fighting for_

_Or why I have to scream_

He hoped pushing her away would make these feelings disappear. He would say or do things he didn't mean, but knew would keep her away. Half the time, he didn't know why he said the things he did. When he put up walls when he knew Elena already knew the Damon behind those walls and accepted him.

_I don't know why I instigate and say what I don't mean_

_I don't know how I got this way, I know it's not all right_

Tonight, he would right everything. With everyone.

_So I'm breaking the habit_

_I'm breaking the habit, tonight_

"I have something to say," Damon said, sitting up slightly, "To all of you." He winced in pain and Elena reached out her free hand to push him back down, but he shook his head.

"I've got to do this," he said, his crystal blue eyes blazing with such determination.

"Bonnie," he said, those eyes falling at the witch. Bonnie started, surprised.

"I'm sorry," Damon said, "For being so willing to let you die. This apology extends to Jeremy," his eyes fell on the young man, "I know what it's like to lose someone you love." Jeremy nodded in silent agreement, putting a hand on Bonnie's shoulder. Bonnie put her hand on top of Jeremy's.

"You keep getting more powerful, okay?" Damon told her, "You're probably gonna need it." Bonnie nodded, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Caroline," Damon said, with a slight smirk, "You know, in a sick, twisted way…I look up to you." Caroline's blue eyes widened in surprise.

"Y-You do?" she asked, "Why?"

"Never in all my years," Damon said, "Have I seen a vampire maintain so much of their humanity after they turned. I envy and admire you for that." Caroline's bottom lip trembled.

"Damon…" she said softly.

"Alaric," Damon said, patting Alaric's shoulder. Alaric hated how lightly Damon patted his shoulder, the obvious weakness in his hand.

"Damon, you don't have to say anything," Alaric said, avoiding Damon's eyes. Because he knew he would break if he looked at the dying vampire.

"Dude, I'm dying over here," Damon said, "At least look at me." Alaric turned to face Damon, blinking back tears.

"You keep living man," Damon said, "I know you've been moping around since Jenna's death. Trust me, she'd want you to be happy." Finally, Damon turned to Stefan.

"Little brother," Damon said, and Stefan took a step closer to him.

"We've been through a lot," Damon said. Stefan chuckled slightly. Damon removed his hand from Alaric's shoulder and grabbed Stefan's free hand.

"I know I've been a dick for the past century and a half," Damon said, "And listen close because I'm not saying this again." Stefan leaned closer.

"I love you little brother," Damon said, his eyes burning with the truth, "You never forget that. No matter what I've said or done, I have always loved you." Stefan nodded, tears shimmering in his dark green eyes. A single tear fell down his cheek and Damon weakly wiped it away.

"You were always the sentimental one," Damon chuckled.

"You know how sorry I am," Stefan said, "For what I did to you. For forcing you to change."

"You're apology may be 150 years late, but I accept it," Damon said with a weak chuckle. At last, Damon's eyes fell on Elena.

"I want to talk to Elena alone," Damon said. They seemed reluctant to leave him, but slowly, everyone stood up and left. Stefan was the last to go, closing the door behind him. Damon's grip on Elena' hand tightened. He took a deep breath. It was now or never.

_Clutching my cure, I tightly lock the door_

_I try to catch my breath again_

_I heard much more than anytime before_

_I have no options left to give_

"Elena," Damon said, looking at her face. Tears were falling freely down her cheeks.

"Do not cry for me," Damon whispered, "I don't deserve your tears."

"Yes you do," she said, "Why do you always put yourself down like that?" Damon smiled at her, a true Damon smile.

"I've done so much wrong in my life," he said, "For so long, I've been at war with myself. I want to get this moment right,"

_I don't want to be the one the battles always choose_

_Cause inside I realize that I'm the one confused_

_I don't know what's worth fighting for_

_Or why I have to scream_

_I don't know why I instigate and say what I don't mean _

_I don't know how I got this way, I'll never be all right_

_So I'm breaking the habit_

_I'm breaking the habit, tonight,_

"I love you Elena," Damon said. A sob broke from Elena's throat.

"Shhhh," Damon soothed, cupping her cheek in his hand. His palm was so cold.

"I once told you I loved you before," Damon continued, "After Stefan and I rescued you from Rose. But I compelled you to forget because my brother deserves you more than I do." Elena shook her head fiercely.

_I'll paint it on the walls_

'_Cause I'm the one that falls_

_I'll never fight again_

_And this is how it ends_

"Damon," she sobbed, "Damon, I love you too." Damon smiled again, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that," he whispered. Slowly, Elena leaned down and kissed Damon's lips. They were cold, but the passion and intensity he kissed her with burned through her. His hand moved from her cheek to thread through the silky strands of her hair. Elena crawled into the bed next to Damon, her body molding perfectly against his, their lips never parting. They eventually parted, resting their foreheads against one another.

"You have never been Katherine to me," Damon whispered to her, "From the moment I met you. I could look at you and tell that you were nothing like her."

"How?" Elena asked.

"Katherine had this air about her," Damon said, "Like she was better than everyone else. When I first met you...the fear in your eyes when you saw me. The way you talked, unsure and a but shy. How you held yourself, like you were a little embarrassed. It was small things like those that told me immediately that you were not Katherine. I love _Elena_. The beautiful, smart, stubborn girl who writes in her journal and still sleeps with her teddy bear and puts everyone else's needs before her own." He kissed her lips again, this kiss softer, gentler, but holding the same passion as the first.

"I'm sorry," Damon whispered when they parted again, "For everything. I love you, Elena." A smile graced his lips once more. Not a smirk, but a smile so true and bright that Elena felt as if her heart would burst.

His hand slid from her hair and landed with a _thump! _onto the bed. Elena watched Damon's eyes slide closed. The smile was still on his face.

And for that moment, her heart stopped.

"Damon," she said in barely above a whisper. He remained still, his face peaceful.

"Damon," Elena said, her voice quivering as fear gripped every fiber of her being. Tears fell from her eyes again and she could almost feel her heart physically breaking.

"Damon open your eyes," Elena cried, grabbing his shoulders and shaking them.

"Damon! DAMON!" she shouted, "No, no, no, this can't be happening. DAMON! DAMON!" her cried were hysterical now, as she shook Damon, willing him to wake up, to open those beautiful crystal blue eyes.

_I don't know what's worth fighting for_

_Or why I have to scream_

_But now I have some clarity to show you what I mean_

_I don't know how I got this way, I'll never be all right_

_So I'm breaking the habit_

_I'm breaking the habit_

_I'm breaking the habit, tonight _

Hearing her hysterical cried, everyone rushed into the room. It took one look at Damon to understand what had happened.

"Get her out of here," Stefan said to Caroline, Jeremy and Bonnie. The two girls went over to Elena, attempting to calm her and coax her away from Damon.

"Come Elena," Bonnie said softly, gently putting her hands on Elena's arms. Elena shook her head, her body shaking with sobs.

"Elena, he's gone," Caroline said, her voice gentle and soft in Elena's ear as she wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"He's not gone," she sobbed, "He can't be gone. Damon please come back. Come back for me."

"He can't...!" Elena sobbed, "No, no…"

"Come on sis," Jeremy whispered.

As gently as they could, Jeremy, Bonnie and Caroline pried Elena away from Damon. It took Caroline's vampire strength to hold Elena back as she struggled against.

"NO! NO!" she shouted, struggling fruitlessly against them, "DAMON! WAKE UP, PLEASE!" Caroline closed the door behind them as they left, but Elena's cries of despair could be heard clearly.

Stefan looked down at his brother's body. It wasn't gray and withered like when a vampire was staked. He merely looked like we were sleeping.

"Goodbye big brother," Stefan whispered, kissing Damon's forehead, "Rest in peace."

Outside, on the windowsill, a pitch-black crow perched. And among Elena's anguished cries, the crow's caw pierced the night.

**I can't believe I just killed Damon…excuse me while I got cry in a corner…**

**Am I the only one that noticed Caroline still acts a lot like her human self even though she's a vampire? I sort of admire that she's a vampire who hasn't let her change affect who she is. And notice that little bit of Katherine/Elijah I put in there ;)**

**I added the crow bit in the end as a sort of homage to the crow in episode one and I've read that in the books, Damon turns into a crow. I thought it would be a great note to end it on.**

**Personally, I don't think Damon will die. He just brings way too much to the show. If he does die, I think they'll probably bring him back somehow. And quite frankly, there are 2 things on my mind 1) Tyler was only in transition when he bit Damon, he was not a full werewolf yet. Will that affect the effect of the bite? 2) Damon killed Rose himself, so we don't really know the long-term effects of a werewolf bite. And I suspect the hands of others probably killed other vampires bit by werewolves, similar to Rose's fate. My little theory? Rose got "sick" when she was bitten. Vampires don't get sick. A werewolf bite is fatal to **_**vampires. **_**Is it possible that a vampire bite can turn a vampire human? Just a theory…**

**Well, I hope you all liked **_**In His Final Moments**_**. Please Review!**

**And please follow me on twitter! My twitter name is **_**MoonlghtSpirit **_**(notice no "i" in "light". The name **_**MoonlightSpirit **_**as a user name was already taken, so I just took out the "i") under the name MoonlightSpirit (this one with the "i" in "light"!) I will be posting updates, delays in stories, etc. on there.**


	2. A Perfect Reality

**First of all, thanks so much for all the reviews, I didn't except so many people to like this! Secondly, I decided to do another chapter/alternate ending with my little theory about Damon. The song in this is **_**Love and Death **_**by Tokio Hotel. Why do I keep using songs…because 'The Vampire Diaries' always plays songs during epic moments, so I kind of wanted to capture that feeling. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or the song _Love & Death_.**

Stefan stared into the still, peaceful face of his older brother. He couldn't believe it…after all this time…Damon was gone.

"I want to give him a proper funeral," Stefan mumbled and Alaric.

"I'm sorry Stefan," Alaric said softly, placing a hand on Stefan's shoulder. He could feel the vampire's shoulder tremble slightly as silent tears fell from his eyes. The room was silent…

And then, as the unseen jet-black crow flew away from the window, a miracle happened.

* * *

Bonnie cradled Elena in her arms. In the minutes that passed, she her sobs hadn't lessened.

"I'm sorry Elena," Bonnie whispered, stroking her best friends hair, "I'm so sorry." Jeremy sat on Elena's other side, rubbing her back soothingly.

_I can give you, you can give me_

_Something, everything_

_You are with me, I am with you_

It didn't seem fair. When she had finally admitted to Damon how she felt, he died.

Elena knew it was her fault. For so long, she knew how Damon felt about her, but ignored her own feelings for him. If only she had listened to what her heart had been trying so hard to tell her. She and Damon would have had more time together.

_Always, join me in_

_Love and death, love and death_

_Don't you mess, don't you mess_

_With my heart_

_Love and death, love and death_

_Don't you mess, don't you mess_

_With my heart_

_With my heart_

_With my heart_

Their love story was a twisted tale of deceit, hatred and death. Damon had done so much to make Elena despise him. But she had seen him grow, seen him change into a Damon that was almost unrecognizable from the one she had met barely over a year ago.

_Fragile pieces, don't regret the sorrows that we've seen_

_Take it with us, step into tomorrow_

_Join me in_

_Love and death, love and death_

_Don't you mess, don't you mess_

_With my heart _

_Love and death, love and death_

_Don't you mess, don't you mess_

_With my heart_

_With my heart_

_With my heart_

Their relationship in general had always been shaky, like a rock on the edge of a cliff. A single move could move it back or send it over the edge to it's demise. Yet, no matter what they had been through. The hurt and sorrow and hatred…Elena could never fully bring herself to eliminate her feelings for Damon. They stayed there and now raged like a fire in the wake of his death, as if they could burn her. She almost wished they would. That the comfort of death would relieve her from this anguish.

But she knew Damon wouldn't have wanted that. He wouldn't have wanted her to live and be happy. But right now…Elena felt as if she could never be truly happy again.

Caroline, who had been standing behind the couch, a comforting hand on Elena's shoulder, heard it first. Voices. Coming from Damon's room. Of course, there was Alaric's voice and Stefan's voice, but also a third. And the voices didn't sound sad or mournful. They sounded…hopeful. Happy even.

No…it couldn't be…impossible…

But there it was, so clear in her ears, he might as well have been standing right next to her.

Seconds later, Alaric came running into the room, breathless, his eyes wide.

"Guys, you'll want to come see this," he panted. Elena shook her head.

"I can't see him like that," she sobbed, "Please Alaric, don't make me."

"Bring her now," Alaric ordered to the other three. Caroline grabbed Elena's arm gently and with her vampire strength, stood her up. It took all three of them to get her to stumble to Damon's room.

They reached the door and Bonnie, Jeremy and Caroline gasped.

Elena kept her eyes shut tight. She couldn't see it again. Her heart couldn't bare seeing Damon's body, pale and lifeless on his bed.

"Elena, open you're eyes," Bonnie said. Was that happiness Elena heard in her voice? Elena knew Bonnie disliked Damon, but was she really so gleeful over his death.

Elena shook her head stubbornly, her eyes still shut tight.

She heard something, the sound of bed springs groaning under weight, and then footsteps coming toward her.

A pair of hands cupped her face, tilting her head up.

"Elena, open your eyes," said a voice. A voice so familiar, Elena barely dared herself to believe it really was who she thought it was.

_All the pain that we've been through_

_I've been dying to save you_

_Feel the blood in my veins flow_

_I've been dying to save you_

It couldn't be…there was no way it could be. Her heart gave a small tug of hope, but trembled in fear because she knew it couldn't be true and her ears were betraying her.

"Open your eyes Elena," the voice said, a soft chuckle in its voice now. The thumbs of the hands stroked her cheeks softly.

Slowly, Elena forced her eyes open, bracing herself for disappointment.

_Love, am I watching you swim or just seeing you drown?_

_It's a tragedy or comedy_

But there they were. Those crystal blue eyes she knew so well staring right at her.

Was this real? Or some sick, twisted joke? Elena almost wanted to laugh, but form hysteria of relief, she did not know.

"D-Damon," she managed to stammer. Her hands reached up to his face, tracing his handsome features. Something about him seemed slightly different…the look in his eyes.

"I'm human," he whispered. Elena's heart stammered.

"W-What?" she asked, still in too much shock to move, waiting for this illusion of a dream to shatter around her.

_With my heart_

_With my heart_

_Love and death_

_Don't you mess, don't you mess_

_With my heart_

_With my heart_

"A werewolf bite is fatal to a vampire," Alaric explained, "Because it apparently reverts them back into a human. The first clue is the sickness. Vampires don't get sick but turning back into a human takes a toll on their body and causes it. It's a side effect of the transition. And then there's the sudden bloodlust, which seems to be the vampire side making a last ditch effort for survival, even if it's useless. It's the only way a vampire knows how to survive. Blood."

"Most vampires die at the hands of others of other causes before the bite takes full effect," Stefan said, "Which is why there doesn't seem to be any information of the long term effects of a werewolf bite."

Elena's eyes fixed onto Damon again. This felt so real. _He _felt so real. His skin warm under her fingertips. She trailed her hands down his cheeks, over his neck where his pulse beat proudly, and finally, her hand rested over his strong, beating heart.

Damon was alive. Not only that, but he was_ human_.

Elena was hit with a sudden vision in her mind. She and Damon, getting married, having children, growing old together.

The truth hit her all at once and tears brimmed in her eyes.

"Damon," she chocked out. Then suddenly, Elena threw her arms around his neck, nearly knocking Damon backward onto the floor. He wrapped his arms tight around her waist.

_Love and death, love and death_

_Don't you mess, don't you mess_

_With my heart_

_Love! _

_Death! _

_Love! _

_Death!_

"Is it really you?" Elena sobbed into his shoulder, "Are you really alive? Please, tell me this isn't a dream." Damon pulled back just enough to take Elena's face in his hands. His face broke out into the biggest smile Elena had ever seen on him.

"It's not, Elena," he said and Elena could swear she saw tears brimming in those beautiful, crystal blue eyes, "Im right here." She threw her arms around him again, fresh tears streaming down her face, but this time, they were tears of joy. Damon was really here, alive, in her arms

Neither of them were sure how long they stayed like that, holding each other. Only that, when they parted, no one else was in the room. Damon chuckled.

"I guess they wanted give us some alone time," Damon said. Elena smiled up at him, running a hand through his black hair.

"I love you Damon," she said, "So much."

"And I love you, Elena," Damon said, pressing a kiss to her lips. The kiss was slow and sensuous and Elena felt it all the way from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. She knew she would never forget this moment. The feeling of Damon's arms around her, his body pressed against hers, his lips so soft against her own.

They parted again, but still held onto each other. And they stood there, in the middle of the room. Just holding one another, adoring the other's presence.

No matter how much it felt like it, how impossible this all seemed, it wasn't a dream. It was their reality. And everything was suddenly, blissfully, perfect.

**So there's the end of **_**In His Final Moments**_**. I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


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